The lightweight, local-first observability proxy for LLM traffic. Point a client’s base_url at one small binary and get capture, search, metrics, replay, Compare, and a private UI. Captured traffic is stored only on your machine; prompts are forwarded only to the model providers you configure.
Publisher’s description
What is Vessel?
Vessel is an open-source ai assistants & llm program for Windows from Spencer Clark. It is written in C#.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.3.1, released on October 2, 2026. 3 versions are listed since August 30, 2026, each with links to its own installer files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (spenceclark/Vessel) has 8 stars. Similar programs include Claude Code, Codex CLI and ChatGPT.
Project description on GitHub: “The lightweight observability proxy for LLM traffic”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Updated in the last two months
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: Vessel is an open-source ai assistants & llm tool for 64-bit PCs.
Is Vessel safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
5F6D6E37EFBFAD469A04CB7467996B0E1DD36B70D3A01C535783D6D5CFDA2796· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 3 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3.1Latest | October 2, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.3.0 | September 19, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 0.1.1 | August 30, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id spenceclark.Vessel -eProgram files (.exe): vessel.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Spencer Clark
- Category
- AI assistants & LLMs
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/spenceclark/Vessel
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 0.3.1
- Released
- October 2, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- October 2, 2026
- Versions listed
- 3
- GitHub stars
- 8
- GitHub forks
- 1
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- spenceclark.Vessel
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Vessel free?
Yes. Vessel is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Vessel safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Vessel with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Vessel run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Vessel?
The versions page lists all 3 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 30, 2026.
Can I use Vessel without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Vessel?
Claude Code, Codex CLI, ChatGPT, GPT4All and Jan. The alternatives page compares them.
